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Adrian Steel granted 40-foot front-yard setback variance to expand at 906 James Street
Summary
The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a 40-foot front-yard setback variance for Adrian Steel’s expansion at 906 James Street, citing prior precedent and the lot’s multiple front setbacks; the addition will be one story, roughly 18 feet high, and eliminates parking on the James Street side.
The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a 40-foot front-yard setback variance for Adrian Steel on a motion referencing a similar variance granted in 2023. The decision authorizes the company to place a one-story office addition at the property line at 906 James Street, aligning the new office with the existing structure.
Jason Hess, the applicant’s contractor, told the board the firm seeks a zero lot-line setback on James Street because the existing offices already extend over the lot line; the requested relief was described in discussion as a 40-foot variance from the 50-foot required front-yard setback. Hess said the addition will be roughly 18 feet tall and remain single-story to avoid stairs and elevator access.
During technical review, commissioners confirmed the project will remove employee parking along the James Street frontage and extend the office north to the existing plant line. The board’s practical-difficulty analysis noted that the lot has three front-yard setbacks (James, Beecher and Tabor streets) that constrain where additions can be built; members also cited the prior 2023 variance as a basis for consistency.
After the board ran through the required eight findings of fact, a motion to approve the requested variance carried. The roll-call discussion recorded multiple affirmative votes and one negative vote; commissioners later noted that two of those present were alternates whose votes do not count for the official tally. The board recorded the official outcome as 4–1 in favor of the variance.
The expansion will eliminate parking along the James Street side but align the new office flush with the existing building; the applicant said internal operations and employee circulation informed the decision to expand horizontally rather than build vertically. The board’s approval was framed as a site-specific decision tied to the parcel’s shape and prior practice; no additional coverage variance was requested in the application paperwork.
The board moved on to other business and adjourned; planning commission proceedings began immediately afterward.
